Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People [Paperback]

Sachiko Umoto (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2010 | Series: Illustration School

Created by one of Japan’s most popular artists, this book provides detailed and complete instruction for illustrating fun and appealing characters and elements that celebrate life. The author’s special and distinct style is simple, appealing, happy, and cute and offers artists, crafters, and art enthusiasts—with and without experience—the instruction and inspiration to draw in the Japanese character style. This book is for artists and crafters of all skill levels that want to bring their own illustration to their work. It offers both entertaining and fun drawing instruction and techniques along with inspiring and sweet unique-style characters and elements.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sachiko Umoto, born in 1970, graduated with a degree in oil painting from Tama Art University (Tokyo). In addition to her work as an illustrator, she also produces animation works for Usagi-Ou Inc. She is the author of An Introduction to Making Illustrations with One Pencil Workbook and An Introduction to Sketching with One Pencil Workbook (both published by MDN Corporation). She dearly loves dogs and Hawaii. Visit her online at http://umotosachiko.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Quarry Books (October 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592536468
• ISBN-13: 978-1592536467
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Figure Drawing
  • #30 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Cartooning

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars adorable and fun, September 23, 2010

By 

Heather Moss "poet in the library" (Baltimore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People (Paperback)

I suppose this book is meant to be for children, but I am an adult who loves to doodle little people, and I think it's a lot of fun. It's a very playful book, with funny song lyrics you can sing while you're drawing. There are costumes and outfits for people around the world, and clothes and props that pertain to certain professions. The author's drawing style is super-cute and very Japanese.

This is not a drawing book in the sense that you will learn how to make realistic-looking drawings; it's a cartooning book that teaches you how to make simple drawings that evoke stories. I think it is appropriate for ages 7 and older. My only complaint is that the book doesn't stay open by itself while you're drawing because it's too small and stiff; I have to use binder clips attached to a clipboard to be able to copy from it.

I also recommend Umoto's other drawing books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a darling book, May 29, 2011

By 

J. Westenhaver (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People (Paperback)

I saw this at Jo-Ann Fabrics and flipped through it. My 10 year old daughter was with me and fell in love with it. I brought it home and my 15-year-old daughter wanted to try it immediately too. The illustrations are just darling. Very simple and not requiring a ton of skill. But even a good artist would find some inspiration.

The instructions are minimal, but because these characters are not tremendously detailed, it's fine.

The people in this book are really adorable; cute, but not cutesy. The babies are too sweet.

This book will be an excellent thing to have around during the hot summer days when everybody is bored (including me).

5.0 out of 5 stars Great drawing book for kid artists of all skill levels, September 9, 2011

By 

A. Lung "Sketching Supplies Scholar" - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Illustration School: Let's Draw Happy People (Paperback)

Sachiko Umoto's drawing style is simple and easy to follow. This book features many short step-by-step animal drawing demonstrations that will allow artists of all skills levels to create their own recognizable animals from their first try with economy of lines and a distinct Japanese feel to them. Very useful and fun drawing book that belongs in the reference library of any budding artist. This is the second time I purchase this book for my own library, for my first copy "mysteriously" disappeared this past summer during one of my drawing art camps. Even medium and advance level artists might benefit from trying out Umoto's abstraction process that so effectively reduces complex subjects to attractive and easy-to-recognize symbols with the fewest lines possible.